Retirement Blog | greenville-sc-the-perfect-small-town-urban-retirement (2023)

Oct 25, 2017 - For those looking for small-scale urban retirement, there's no better choice than Greenville, South Carolina. It has parks and a city center that attracts people every day of the week, including Sunday mornings. There are plenty of accommodation options downtown, so everything you need is within walking distance. There is an ever-expanding bike path that runs through the heart of downtown and 8 miles up the road - through the Furman University campus and into Travelers Rest, SC. The cultural scene is bustling with frequent festivals, numerous events and a variety of cultural resources.

This fast-growing city in northwestern South Carolina has 68,000 residents in the city proper, while the greater MSA area, including Spartanburg, has nearly 1 million residents. The city center has been the subject of intense and successful redevelopment efforts. This paid off, as the city received the Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historical Preservation in 2003 and 2009. The city has a diverse industrial and commercial base with factories such as Michelin and BMW. It is home to several colleges and technical colleges, including Furman University and Bob Jones University. It is home to several minor league sports teams, including Boston Red Sox minor league team Drive. It's a thriving community for the arts. Downtown Greenville is home to many specialty stores and boutiques.

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We were lucky enough to visit this beautiful city earlier this week with relatives and friends who live here. Upon entering, we knew we would like it, but it was still a happy case of experiencing reality better than expectation. Although we have already been to its suburbs several times, which are very pleasant, the city center was a very pleasant surprise.

After driving into town, we parked at our friend's house in a beautiful neighborhood of single-family homes and townhomes. We then went one block further and entered Falls Park on the Reedy, a large West End regional park with gardens and several waterfalls.

The $15.0 million park that showcases the falls is home to the Liberty Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge overlooking the falls.

What's really most remarkable is that, as you walk the trail above the falls, you get to the heart of the $75 million public-private project, Riverplace, across Main Street. There are restaurants, shops, entertainment, and ample, inexpensive above-ground parking. We were there on a Sunday morning and the streets were packed with families and couples looking for an adventure. It's certainly the rare urban center that can claim foot traffic on a Sunday morning, but Greenville does it with its main street. We were amazed.

As atrações do centro incluem o Peace Center, um centro de artes cênicas que inclui uma sala de concertos com 2.100 lugares e um teatro com 400 lugares. O Zoológico de Greenville é uma atração popular no centro da cidade - a partir daí, o parque oferece acesso contínuo à Swamp Rabbit Trail, que continuatravelers rest.

Other cultural and sporting venues in the area include the 5,000-seat multipurpose Timmons Arena at Furman University, the Upcountry History Museum, the TD Convention Center and the Bon Secour Wellness Arena. Fluor Field in the West End is home to the Greenville Drive baseball team, the Class A offshoot of the Boston Red Sox. The stadium shares many of Fenway Park's features, including a depiction of the legendary Green Monster of Fenway.

O que fazer
A cidade tem um fluxo constante de festivais e eventos divertidos. Alguns deles incluem o Euphoria Greenville, um evento culinário anual de três dias realizado no Wyche Pavilion em Larkin's on the River. A arte no parque é outra. O Greenville County Museum of Art é especializado em arte americana. Fall for Greenville é um festival de música e comida de rua de três dias realizado a cada outono. Artisphere é um festival de artes de três dias realizado na primavera. Para o esporte, há o beisebol da liga secundária Classe A com o Drive e o Greenville Swamp Rabbits da ECHL. Haywood Mall é um grande shopping center na área.

Onde morar
For the urban experience, there are plenty of housing options in the city center or within walking distance - from single-family homes to condominiums. The Zillow Home Value Index is at the national average of about $200,000. Mills Mill converted into loft condos. Our friends live in a small row house that is peaceful and charming, yet next to the falls in Reedy River Park. There are nice apartments above many shops in the center of town. Outside the city there are manyActive Adults from Greenville and 55+ Communities, if that's what you're looking for.

Other aspects – crime, health, transportation
O crime está acima da média dos EUA, mas diminuiu na última década, agora um terço abaixo dos níveis de 2000, enquanto a população da região continua a crescer.

O Aeroporto de Greenville-Spartansburg é bem conectado e atendido. Existe um serviço Amtrak. As pessoas usam Uber aqui e há rotas de ônibus. Mas seu carro, bicicleta ou pés serão seu principal meio de transporte. A Interestadual 385 e a Interestadual 85 apresentam tráfego pesado na hora do rush. A Woodruff Road pode ser brutal, especialmente nos fins de semana, pois esta rua é um importante corredor comercial. A cidade está convenientemente localizada a meio caminho entre Atlanta GA e Charlotte NC (cerca de 160 quilômetros de qualquer maneira). As montanhas estão a cerca de uma hora de distância e a costa a cerca de 3,5 horas de distância.

Medical care is of high quality and comprehensive. Greenville has two main healthcare systems, the Bon Secours St. Francis and the Greenville Health System.

politically speaking
Greenville is in a very red state to the south. If your political leanings are conservative, you're a perfect fit. If you're moving here from a blue state and you're liberally oriented, you're going to need to make some adjustments. That was certainly the case for our friends who are very happy here but feel they are in the minority. If you find a Democrat in Palmetto State, it's likely to be Greenville.

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In our opinion, Greenville is the perfect example of a place that offers an ideal urban environment on a manageable scale. You can live downtown, go shopping, walk or bike. It has huge parks and a very busy center. There is an incredible variety of cultural and sporting spaces. If these describe what you're looking for a place to get away, come and check it out!

Comments?Is this the kind of retirement you are looking for? Have you lived in Greenville and have any experiences to share? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

For further reading:
What is the best Carolina for retirement
My Great Southern Retirement Adventure
Um ano depois: as observações de Artie sobre a mudança de Nova York para as Carolinas

Comentários sobre Greenville, SC: a aposentadoria perfeita em uma cidade pequena